Sunday, March 02, 2008

Seeking

Let us seek until we find:
the good hidden in our evil
the healing disguised in our pain
the light enfolded in our darkness
the potential mistaken for our emptiness
the unity inherent in our dividedness
the security underneath our insecurity
the blessing given in our adversity
the peace within our stress
the answer concealed in our questions
the strength ignored in our weakness
the genius masked in our stupidity
the freedom overlooked in our bondage
the joy implicit in our sorrow
the truth underlying our illusions and lies
the extraordinary possibilities in the ordinary
the courage denied in our fear
the riches unnoticed in our poverty
the love overwhelmed by our jealousy
the order within our chaos
the medicine signaled by our symptoms
the purpose arising out of our accidents and losses
the meaning lost in our tragedies
the sanity encased in our insanity
the aliveness erupting out of the death of God
the spirit symbolized in matter
the still small voice not heard in our noisiness
the infinity obscured in our finiteness
the divinity prohibited in our human unawareness

Carroll J. Wright, Ph. D.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Ten Recommendations for Wise Parenting

Adouda's recommendations are beautifully stated and should fit into all parenting styles. You can read through many parenting courses, and the 10 following guidelines will assist you in raising children with values and principles.

By Adouda ADJIRI, Ph. D.

1. Your child is not your property but an independent being that came to life through you. The new born baby is a complete human being capable of understanding and learning even before speaking the adults' language. When mother and father have made the choice of bringing this new being to life, they have automatically committed themselves to nurture it until independence.

2. Each child has his or her own and unique personality that must be respected. This leads to respect his or her safe-choices and not minimize or underestimate the child's concerns of any nature. A toy is so important to a child when at the same time it means nothing to an adult. Similarly, playing is an integral part of a child's life that must be understood and respected.

3. Be patient because without patience parenting cannot be properly achieved. Don't allow your anger over the day's events to spill over onto your child and never use physical punishment to correcting your child. Time-out that is properly advised works well in most cases. If your child is challenging, learn how to handle his or her particular challenge. Encourage flexibility and do not impose military-like rules and routines.

4. Listen to your child now otherwise he or she won't listen to you as a young adult. Listening is achieved with heart and ears and you must take that time to learn about your child's dreams and fears. Encourage your child to speak up his or her thoughts and feelings. Listen with empathy, validate your child's feelings and show understanding to his or her frustrations. Ten Recommendations for Wise Parenting

5. Nourish your child with unconditional love without being overprotective. A warm hug and a game played together or a moment spent together is more precious than any expensive toy you might offer. Every child asks to be loved, understood and respected and when these needs are fulfilled, no room is left for disobedience or future rebellion.

6. Never discriminate among your children. Whether a boy or a girl, a first born or a middle born or a last born, you must treat them all equally and love them all equally and give each one of them equal time and attention. Don't make promises you cannot keep, that would teach your children to lie. Teach them moral values and prepare them to face those who do not respect moral values.

7. Children are naturally curious, so encourage your child's curiosity and let him and her ask questions. You are not required to answer each of their questions but teach them to look for answers themselves; you'll be amazed how much you can learn from them.

8. Children like to feel important and needed, so help them fulfill this need. Give your children opportunities to do something in the kitchen or around the house and stand near by for supervision and direction without constantly correcting or giving orders. Let them make mistakes and let them learn from their mistakes.

9. Use positive and genuine expressions to praise your child's achievements. Avoid everything that is negative, comments, remarks or familiar expressions that can damage your child's self-esteem and weaken his or her confidence. Though you cannot shield your child from hearing invalidating comments but you can make sure that they won't affect him or her. In case of failure, give accurate feedback with lots of encouragement to help your child continue learning.

10. Avoid using or abusing your children indirectly and decide with them but not for them. Do not influence your child to achieve what you couldn't achieve in your life. Similarly, do not push your child in the family's business when he or she has different dreams and different talents

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Be the 100th Monkey

Be The 100th Monkey
By Susan Denham

Every day thousands of businesses across America close their doors. In each of those closed businesses, there is a dream that didn't take flight. Most of these businesses are started and ended within 2 years. It stands to reason that a lot of people are going into businesses they have no business being in, but their drive to succeed and nurture a dream that won't die, clouds their judgment, and they do it anyway.

Each of these failed businesses represents a broken heart, and in the collective consciousness of our planet, we are hard pressed to find a need for yet another broken heart, broken home, broken marriage, or broken dream. We've got enough of those already.

The true entrepreneur will take the lessons learned from that failed business, and after healing the gaping wounds, he'll go and, scars and all, start the next one. and the next one, and the next one. The spirit of a dreamer can be bruised, and battered, but only broken by choice.

Another closely related statistic is the number of domestic violence incidents reported. You know as well as I do that people fight over money. They fight over silly things most of the time, but when it comes to money, that's when things get really uptight. The young family that just moved in down the street may look like the picture-perfect image of the American Dream, but when that SUV has to go back to the bank, their home could become a war zone.

Half of the marriages starting out on any given day are doomed to failure. More broken hearts. More vibrational pollution in the Universal Consciousness.
But, all is not lost. We are responsible for our experience. We are powerful beyond measure, and we have the powerful responsibility of doing that thing that is in our power to do to change the trends of these statistics.
The 100th Monkey principle stems from the story about the Japanese Islands, researchers saw one very talented and brilliant young female (imagine that) monkey who learned how to wash the sand off her potatoes, and then she taught it to her young.

After a certain number of monkeys (not exactly 100, but it's hard to pinpoint) had learned to wash their potatoes in the stream, the researchers began to see monkeys on other islands who had no communication with the original batch of monkeys begin to wash their potatoes before eating.

There is a theory that after so many people learn a concept, that it is embedded in the morphogenetic field, a level of Universal Consciousness above our perception, but available to all of us. Once that knowledge is in the M field, It becomes "Common Knowledge" and no longer has to be struggled with. It's just "known" They call it the "100th Monkey" principle.

If you are a dreamer, you have the responsibility to become a success. If you are a broken hearted lover or failed businessperson, you have the responsibility to dust yourself off and try again. You MUST succeed. Because when enough people have proven that it CAN be done, the 100th Monkey principle will take effect, and people will begin starting businesses that are perfect for them, and families will be more permanent, and more peaceful.

You owe it to the struggling Single Mom to be successful, You owe it to the High School Graduate who is fighting against the idea of the 40 year lie, and you owe it to the soon-to-be-retired Army Lieutenant who sees a way to buy a boat to enjoy his retirement in, if he can just earn this certain amount in a certain time frame.
Their success will be more forthcoming if YOU fight your way through the unknowns, Data-smog, niggling details, etc. Fight the good fight, give your dreams wings, and live for the moment. The struggle is the reward, and your achievement is secondary to the thrill of the ride. Do this next thing, and then do the next thing. Let your successes build on each other, and your failures be only information.

Many products exist today that are intended to help you do just that. Consider the benefits of subconscious and mental programming. Technology is morphing into an always-ready assistant, helping us to communicate, organize, and now, even assist us in our self-improvement efforts.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Don't miss this online video!

Use this address: http://www.realmindpowersecrets.com/evolution2.html

and scroll down to the Utube Integral Concsiousness video entitled:

"Wisdom and Science in Dialogue: The new Planetary Consciousness."

Sunday, August 19, 2007

What is Ascension?

WHAT IS ASCENSION ? by Sandy Stevenson

Ascension is a natural and normal part of the evolutionary process of the Universe. It has always been so and will probably continue until it is no longer necessary as a universal process.

Therefore any ideas of this process being something new or weird, usually means that this concept hasn't been understood. When the real meaning of this concept is not grasped, we get separation and terms such as ‘the ascensionists’. Let’s look more carefully at what Ascension is.

Experiential growth

Evolution is basically a continuing growth through learning in many forms. This growth comes about through greater spiritual wisdom, compassion, tolerance, integrity, true understanding and such qualities that lead us to Unconditional Love.

Energy and vibrations

Each person has their own unique energy vibration and it is this we are recognising when we feel someone is instantly familiar or we are immediately comfortable with someone. Whilst each being always holds this special energy, the overall vibrational field of a being alters - depending on the current level of evolution he or she is at. Our individual vibrational band as a being decides the world we see. All dimensions exist ‘Now’ but we can only see things that lay within the vibrational band of Light that we resonate with - that matches us. Wisdom and love raise ones vibration, taking it from dense, slower moving frequencies to faster finer frequencies.

An evolutionary stage

Ascension is merely a stage in this evolutionary process and involves reaching a place where one is ready to raise oneself to the frequency of Light, whereby the fifth dimension becomes accessible and visible.

It is not something for the ‘chosen few’, but is available to every being in the entire universe. It is obtained on an individual basis, within the time frame that being chooses to experience his or her growth. It is inevitably gained by everyone at some point or another.

A natural transition

One does not need to understand the process or to have ever heard the word Ascension in order to ascend. It is simply a word that is used by some to define this particular step of ones growth.

All stages of evolution are wonder-ful and contain their own special beauty and wisdom. However, it is felt by many that Ascension is a special stage as it involves the transition from a third dimensional reality of duality and its relevant learning, to an awareness of oneness, harmony and love.

Moving to the fifth dimension, one passes through the fourth and releases all buried emotion and thought that has too dense a vibration to permit the being to raise him or herself and his lower subtle bodies, into the higher frequencies of Light.

Universal manifestation

Those attaining Ascension in past times, have allowed the physical body to ‘die’ and having increased the vibration of the subtle bodies, raised themselves into the fifth dimension. There is now an opportunity to change this universal pattern and ascend all our lower bodies, bringing a new pattern of ascension into Universal Manifestation. For the first time in this universe, there is a possibility for those choosing it, to increase the vibratory rate of the molecular structure of the physical body. As in all new things presented to humanity, the idea may well seem `way out' and impossible. Not so long ago, talking to someone thousands of miles away or walking on the moon, would have seemed impossible.

Earth attaining Ascension

The planet Earth is currently attaining a state of ascension. The Being who has Earth as her body (much the same as humans have theirs) has reached a point where she is choosing this major step in her evolution. She is currently releasing all condensed and negative energy and raising her entire physical form and its surrounding subtle bodies (which she has just the same as the human beings). All that which is part of the Earth and identifies itself with her such as the flora and fauna operating in the natural flow of the universe, simply moves with her. Any life stream that has separated or is not a natural part of that Earth, who has evolved to a point of ‘free will and choice’ to decide its own movement - may or may not choose to Ascend. Human beings and some animals are definitely in this category.

Evolutionary opportunity

At this special time of planetary evolution an opportunity exists for every individual within the entire Earth structure, currently incarnated or not, to choose to release all the lower levels of density and move from a reality based on materialism and separation to one based within the heart centre and oneness of all life.

This opportunity is available on such a broad scale to all humanity, because the Earth is ascending. Usually Ascension is obtained by the individual without being able to use the planet’s increasing frequency to assist their own momentum towards Ascension. Everything is in Divine order and those on Earth at this time are destined to be able to tune into this assistance. Other planets in the universe have previously attained ascension and now it is our Earth that is doing so.

Linking with the Divine

Anyone may choose at this time to re-link with their Divine source, release their patterns of limitation, release judgement and separation and move into the loving place of the heart. It does require a real commitment and a discipline and determination. It is achieved by following spirit in any given moment. This means following the heart and moving only with what feels right, usually accompanied by interest or excitement. If one continues to move in patterns dictated by the mind, often out of fear and need for security and all of the ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts’ contained within its belief patterns, you will not be allowing yourself to feel in the heart that which resonates as true and in the Divine flow of the universe.

The Earth was once a perfect ball of evenly distributed energy. She agreed to share a learning process with mankind, as he began a learning through ‘limitation’. In carrying out this learning man has caused an uneven distribution of this energy, through various means such as negative thought, rainforest destruction, pollution, etc.

Learning through limitation

The process of learning through limitation has reached deep levels of restriction. Many now, no longer remember that they are a spiritual being and child of God, part of a Divine source and connected to all living things with all being brother and sister. Man also no longer realises that he creates his own reality and hence his own world. This pattern has been taken to its greatest learning potential and its learning could be considered by many to be complete.

Earth’s agreement

Earth agreed to this joint learning with man and had a deep understanding of the various possibilities that could happen. This Being operates from a place of love and does not feel she is a ‘victim’ or feels anger about the apparent destruction of areas upon her form. Everything in the universe is done by agreement. Everything. She watches with love and perceives the struggle within man to overcome all the barriers he has set himself.

The Earth now needs to bring all the energy within her structure back into a perfect ball and raised in frequency in order to make her Ascension. She is quite capable of doing this. The way she does it is dependant on the amount of Light she receives in. She tries to release these areas as gently as possible and we can assist this by focusing Light in and across the Earth, creating positive and healing patterns around the world.

The power of unified prayer

Prayer also has always been a form of connection to the Divine Source of all and we know this links to the power of God.

Some feel they wish to help the Earth in a more practical way and this is also helping greatly. She is grateful for all these forms of help.

If sufficient Light is taken into help this transmutation, she does not then need to correct the energy imbalance in a geophysical manner, such as through earthquakes, floods, etc.

In her love and compassion for all life upon Earth and for her own comfort, she would naturally prefer to have a pain and trauma free transition. As we know most mothers would choose the gentlest birth possible. She is no exception and doesn’t enjoy the pain of cracks and upheavals in her structure or the added trauma of human suffering.

Let go and let God

Everyone on Earth is special and unique and each has their own role to play in the overall scheme of things. If each one follows that which feels right to say or do, then each will be carrying out their part in that plan. If instead, you permit yourself to do that which you ‘should do’ often through guilt, you are quite liable to be stepping outside of your agreements. It is time to Let Go And Let God. By doing this, you will be truly taking responsibility.

If it feels right for you to help the dolphins, save the rainforests, increase awareness of child abuse, or do nothing...the range is endless...understand that because this is right for you, it does not have to mean that it is right for others also. Each has their own task to do and if you permit yourself to be talked into what you ‘should be doing’ you will not therefore carry out what you are really meant to be doing in that moment. If you do what feels right in the heart from a place of love and not from fear or guilt then you can trust that you are in the flow of Divinity. From that place you can intuitively sense the next move.

The power of positivity

Another way to assist the Earth is by keeping our own auric field (aura) clear and free of negativity. We can then allow Light to pass through the energy centres (chakras) of the body, down into The Earth. You can keep this field clear through a discipline of only permitting positive thought, pure intent, use of affirmations, non judgement, moving from the `head' to the ‘heart’, realising that all are brother and sister and becoming more loving. There are various products available that assist in raising vibration and help clear the lower bodies. There are colour, sound, crystals, oils and many natural essences in use for these purposes such as Bach Flower remedies, Aura Light and Avatara Harmony essences. As regards any assistance via products or indeed from any source, take only that which resonates and feels right for you. Each of us have different needs and whereas one may find that Aromatherapy produces miracles, another may simply need more peace or to look at the area of self love. Many paths are available for there are many different people with as many different needs. By following our intuition we can lead ourselves to increased awareness and higher levels of evolution.

A time of choice

It is time on this planet for everyone to make a choice about the sort of world they wish to live in. One of peace and love or the current world we see now upon the Earth.

In the current third dimensional reality on Earth, one learns compassion, understanding and love through experiencing every conceivable situation in life, ranging from poverty and struggle to wealth and power. This involves learning to rise above the limitations set by ourselves prior to the incarnation, thereby gaining strength and wisdom. Finally, as one ceases to judge and realises ‘I am my brothers’ keeper’ and that in truth, everyone is a brother - he or she moves to a place of peace and unconditional love.

Many now feel that they have learnt sufficiently in this realm and would choose to release the various patterns belonging to limitational learning and move on up to higher levels of learning. Learning goes on through higher dimensions, but it is through greater harmony and less solid types of experience. Whilst joy and peace are obtainable on the third dimension, these things are a matter of course on the higher dimensions.

The Golden Age

Choices are being made across the Earth by everyone. As the planetary vibrations continue to increase; all old rigid structures and systems across the Earth either change their basis of operation to one of love, or they crumble and cease to be. All buried thought and emotion is being released individually - nationally - internationally and planetary. All remaining karma is being balanced out across the face of the Earth and everyone who chooses Love, is Light-ening up, as their vibration moves into higher frequencies.

It is time to step free of fears and the myriad of belief patterns that keep us so boxed in our world of structure and control. Time to move forward in trust and faith knowing there are worlds beyond that which we can see with our eyes.

We now approach the new millennia, the Golden Age of peace and love, predicted by so many philosophies and religions for so long. It is shown on the ancient Mayan Calendar and known deep within the heart of many, many millions working in the Light of God.

A wonderful new world dawns on the horizon, bathed in the splendour of the Gold Ray of the Christ Consciousness, as we who choose it so, come home.



Unconditional Love,

Sandy Stevenson

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Prosperity: The Way of the Spirit, Ernest Holmes

THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT.

AGAIN let us say that the Spirit creates by becoming the thing that it thinks. There is no other possible way in which it could work. Since it is all and there is no other, the thought of opposing forces never enters into its mental working; when we are judging from the outer we are not working in line with the power that we should be using. We must come to see that there is only One Power and that we are touching it at all points, for there is not a power of poverty and a power of prosperity. There is the one becoming the many; it makes and it unmakes that a higher form may appear to express through it. All that is not in line with its forward movement will soon pass away, for it recognizes no opposite.

As far as we are concerned what we are and what we are to become depends only upon what we are thinking, for this is the way that we are using creative power. The sooner we get away from the thought that we have to create, the sooner we will be able to work in line with the Spirit. Always man uses; he never creates anything. The united intelligence of the human race could not make a single rose-bud; it does not know enough. But our slightest thought adrift in mind causes the same power that makes all things to create for us. The great error of the race is, and always has been, that men have thought to give a physical reason for things. When that reason has not answered the problems of life they have sought out some other reason just as physical. The fact that they are all wrong is shown in that every generation has found a different reason.

When truth is found it will also be found that it never changes to suit the whims of the human fancy. This is proven by the fact that whatever of the real truth the race has discovered has never been changed. The truth that was revealed to the prophets of old has never changed; it is the same to-day as it was thousands of years ago. Whoever touches truth, no matter in what generation, will always get the same answer. The great truth that was revealed from Moses to the time of Jesus is the same truth that is still revealed to all who will accept it; it is simply this: we are now living in a Spiritual Universe governed by mental laws of cause and effect. Moses saw it mostly from the standpoint of the Law of cause and effect, an eye for an eye. What does this mean? It means, as Jesus said, "As a man sows, so shall he reap." Moses saw the law. Jesus saw not only the law ("I am come not to destroy but to fulfill"), but he saw behind the law the reason for it, and revealed behind all law the Great Law-giver, a God of love working out the great inner concepts of His own being in harmony and in beauty, filled with peace, causing the sun to shine alike upon the just and the unjust.

Jesus did not try to overcome the use of law; He understood all law and He well knew that all law was at His command; He did not break the law, He fulfilled it. So we must find that all is at our command through these same laws. The man who understands law and complies with it will have no difficulty in demonstrating that it is as true for him as it ever was for any one else. What, then, are the laws underlying prosperity? The first is this, and we must not try to escape it: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." This Me is Spirit. We are, then, to trust only in the activity of Spirit for what we need. But the world will say. "Human things come through human agencies." This may be true, but we must realize that the power we are dealing with also has within its own mind all people and all things. We do not have to treat people; what we have to do is to embody principle. Principle may use people, but that is no part of our responsibility. Ultimately all is Spirit, and Spirit which is the beginning is also the end of all manifestation. "I am the Alpha and the Omega." Our life, then, is to be governed by Spirit. We need look no further. It will do for us all that we will ever ask, provided we believe. Why, then, has it not done so? The answer is that it has already done so, but we have not received it. The Spirit may offer, but we must accept the gift before it can be made. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." We must understand that this receiving is a mental process; it is one of mentally taking.

The way, then, that we are using mind through our thought is the way that we are treating ourselves for prosperity. So simple, and yet we have not understood it! If a man says, "I have not." he will not receive; if he says, "I have," he will receive. "To those who have shall be given, and to those who have not shall be taken away even that which they have." This is a veiled statement of the law of cause and effect. When you send out into mind the thought that you have not, it accepts the idea and takes away from you even that which you have. Reverse the process and say, "I have," and it will at once set to work to create for you even more than you now possess. You will readily see then that you are not dealing with two powers but with one, and that it operates through your own thought, doing unto all even as they believe.

THE LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

SINCE all is mind, and it is done unto us as we mentally think, all life is simply a law of thought--activity of consciousness. In our life the power flows through us. If we provide a big receptivity, it will do a big thing; if, on the other hand, we only believe in a small way, the activity must be a small one. The Spirit can do for us only what it can do through us. Unless we are able to provide the consciousness, it cannot make the gift. Few people have a great consciousness, and this explains why so few excel. The power behind all things of itself is without limit; it is all-power; in us it has to become what we make it. We carry within our own soul the key to all expression, but few enter in. The door is not seen with the physical eye, and as yet but few have gained the ability to see; the majority merely look. Realizing, then, that while the power is limitless it must become operative through our own thought, we shall see that what we need is not some greater power, but that what we really need is a greater consciousness, a deeper realization of life, a grander concept of being. We must unify ourselves with the great whole. The man
who dares to fling his thought out into universal intelligence with the positive assurance of one who knows and dares to claim all there is will find that it will be done. God will honor his request. On the other hand, the one who fears to speak lest God will smite will find himself smitten of the law, not because God is angry, but because it is done as he believes.

We have a right to have and should expect to have in this world all that will make for the comfort and for the luxuries of life. What matter how much we have, if we rob no other soul to get it? Shall not the Power that so lavishly spreads Itself out into nature give to us Its highest expression, all that we can ask? We dishonor God when we claim less than all. Until we can expand our thought so that we shall be able to say also, "I am," we need not expect to get great results.

The soul that knows its own Divinity is the great soul; before it all else must bend; to it all else must gravitate. Enlarge your thought processes. Away with the little personal thoughts of things, and dare to think in universal terms about all things. The universe is running over with good, it is for you, but you must believe and then take it. Do you dare to believe that your own word is invincible? When you speak it how do you feel? Is it limitless, is it all power, is all power given to you in heaven and on earth. are you one with the only power that there is? Until you can say yes to all these questions and not simply believe them but know them, you can not hope to attain. It is useless in making a demonstration to beg for things; as well beg that water should be wet or that fire should be hot. Things are, we must take them. Your word has only the power that you put into it, no more and no less. We are all held accountable for every word that we speak because all is the action and the reaction of mind. Man is his own heaven and his own hell.

We start a new enterprise and wonder what the chances of success are; have we realized that the outer is simply the inner manifested? When we go to a new place we shall find there only what we have taken with us. If we have taken success we will find success; if, on the other hand, we have taken failure we will find failure. This is the law; none can avoid it, none need try. Every living soul is a law unto his own life. "There is no law but my own soul shall set." Nothing can come upon the path of the soul but that thing that the soul attracts.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Pitfalls on the Spiritual Path, Dr. Joshua David Stone

Pitfalls & Blind Spots
on the Spiritual Path




'When you start loving God, he starts putting money into your life or a lovely woman or a temptation like power or authority. He puts it before you to see if you will let it go, to see who you love most.' Yogi Bhajan

'The more spiritual you become the harder times you experience; the more spiritual you become, the more slandered you are.' Yogi Bhajan

'Not having flexibility to change is a tragedy in itself, and having too much flexibility not to stand for anything is a tragedy in itself.' Yogi Bhajan




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As we follow the teachings and as we practice, we will inevitably discover certain truths about ourselves that stand out prominently: There are places where we always get stuck; there are habitual patterns and strategies that are the legacy of negative karma, which we continuously repeat and reinforce; there are particular ways of seeing things—those tired old explanations of ourselves and the world around us—that are quite mistaken yet which we hold onto as authentic, and so distort our whole view of reality.

When we persevere on the spiritual path, and examine ourselves honestly, it begins to dawn on us more and more that our perceptions are nothing more than a web of illusions. Simply to acknowledge our confusion, even though we cannot accept it completely, can bring some light of understanding and spark off in us a new process, a process of healing. Sogyal Rinpoche



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The teachings tell us what it is we need to realize, but we also have to go on our own journey, in order to come to a personal realization. That journey may take us through suffering, difficulties, and doubts of all kinds, but they will become our greatest teachers. Through them we will learn the humility to recognize our limitations, and through them we will discover the inner strength and fearlessness we need to emerge from our old habits and set patterns, and surrender into the vaster vision of real freedom offered by the spiritual teachings. Sogyal Rinpoche


When little obstacles crop up on the spiritual path, a good practitioner does not lose faith and begin to doubt, but has the discernment to recognize difficulties, whatever they may be, for what they are—just obstacles, and nothing more. It is the nature of things that when you recognize an obstacle as such, it ceases to be an obstacle. Equally, it is by failing to recognize an obstacle for what it is, and therefore taking it seriously, that it is empowered and solidified and becomes a real blockage.

Sogyal Rinpoche


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Contents:

Excerpts from -The Intuitive Way, A guide to living from Inner Wisdom by Penney Peirce
Traps of the ego by David Joshua Stone
Chapter 5: Human Hiding Places: Methods of Ego -defense.
How Delusions Arise by Lama Thubten Yeshe


Some things to Watch out for

As on any path to higher awareness, we are bound to make some errors of judgment while developing intuition - after all, to know ourselves as spiritual beings requires a fairly dramatic shift from our everyday consciousness. That's probably why every spiritual path has had its blind spots; it's hard to see the whole picture all at once. Channeling ascended masters may seem as far off the mark to future generations as vowing not to eat or speak, trying to appease the gods through blood letting and human sacrifice., and burning women who practiced natural healing and midwifery now seems to us. To err is human, but we can learn to identify our perceptual "mistakes," correct them, let them go, and move on more rapidly.

Really, the worst that might happen if you make a mess of things is that you'll stall your own growth for a while and possibly contribute to stalling other peoples growth. You might add some negativity to the world and reaffirm the already overwhelming thought we all unconsciously buy into - that the world is a place of suffering, and we'll never get out of it, and we have to sacrifice our true selves to incarnate. But the more conscious and intentional you become, the less you'll be able to tolerate causing any level of pain, confusion, or even inconvenience to others. To speed your process of growth and not get bogged down in mistakes, you need to pay close attention to your anxiety signals and commit to living from a state of deep comfort. Let's look at some of the common stumbling blocks to maintaining clear intuition.

The Quick Fix and the Easy Answer

Today, our generation has been programmed to be consumers and to have short attention spans during which we must respond to intense stimulation. We therefore want enlightenment to happen instantly, and if one technique isn't interesting enough or doesn't give immediate results, why, we just flip the channel.

If you tried one of the intuitive techniques, for example, but couldn't visualize an answer, you may have gotten frustrated and passed over that particular use of intuition. And yet it's fairly common to have ambiguous results at first, or to have some time for you to acquaint yourself with these new perceptual circuits.

I see people, particularly in the New Age movement, jumping impatiently from technique to technique - purifying themselves with special diets, chanting, dousing out their decisions with pendulums, smelling aromatic oils, shining coloured lights on themselves, journeying to ancient power places and so on. These tools and techniques worked in ancient times to raise awareness, and they can still help us. But let's remember that tools are simply a means to an end and shouldn't be confused with the real inner work.

Many people are also seduced by paths to higher knowing where a neat and tidy doctrine is laid out for them by a powerful parental figure like a church, a guru, a shaman, a spaceship commander from Arcturus, or a teacher claiming to be a high priest of the Order of Melchizedek. Knowing just what rule to follow in every circumstance is a relief if you don't trust your own intuition. But going too fast, skipping from method to method, and settling for answers you had no part in originating can leave you open for a bad spill.

The first phase of the spiritual path, including the intuitive way, is to subject yourself to a scrupulous and ongoing character assessment. Here's where so many of our perceptual mistakes are made. We are tripped up by what were unconscious about. Removing fear from our thoughts and behaviors is not a particularly pleasant or speedy job. In fact, most people do everything possible to avoid facing their dark side, and when they do, they'd like to think that one quick pass through the underworld will clinch it. If you've been working with clearing your subconscious mind, you know that we cycle around many times to dissolve hundreds of large and small interrelated confusions and blockages. It takes great ongoing compassion for yourself - and patience - to become clear, No amount of magical thinking, talking the good talk, or blindly following someone else's rules will do the trick.

Control, Hypocrisy and Ambition

As we open to intuition, if there is still some fear lurking below the surface, there will also be some form of ego, some sneaky little way our mind tries to control the world to make us feel secure and right. Hidden ego games. After you learned that you could get information about other people intuitively, were you tempted at all to show off or to use this new skill to fortify your position at work or with friends?

As Marge started opening her intuition, she discovered that she had a real sensitivity to the subtle energies in the human body. She could feel hot and cold spots, too much electrical force, and could direct and balance the flow of energy with her hands. So successful was she at healing people that she eventually made it her livelihood. Her confidence grew and she exuded a take-charge attitude. She always seemed certain about what was causing her client's pain and presented her assessments with great authority.

"You are a mess, but I can help you," she would cheerfully say. Though this reassured many people, her presentation was subtly geared to bring her attention, and it actually complicated the client's healing process. To heal, they were now saddled with overcoming a judgment about their basic "flawed" nature as well as needing to realize that, in spite of Marge's talent and engaging performance, all healing still had to occur by means of their own soul and the divine. Do you have an expounder or a savior in your "My many Faces" list.

You get a clue about your blind spots by first noticing hypocrisy, ambivalence, or double-talk in others. If you are triggered by issues you see in others, the same thing may exist in you but in a different form. Watch for people who claim to be spiritual or moral yet act in a way that goes against common-sense principles. Notice the man who meditates and reads voraciously about Buddhism yet still demeans women. Or the spiritual counselor who advises people to clean up their lives but gossips about her clients. Or the strict vegetarian who feels threatened by a roommate who eats eggs or chicken. Or the teacher who claims to be the exclusive voice of Mother Mary or who doesn't make a decision unless advised by beings from an advanced star system. Or the Christian who discriminates against gays, Jews, Democrats, and people of colour. Do you ever choose role models who display this kind of split in their basic character? Are these people really showing you how to live more skillfully?

Self Righteousness

List five things that offend you and raise your hackles. As you imagine each thing, notice what you want to yell at the offender. Write down your scathing comments.

How do you do each of the things that offend you? Is there another area of your life where the behaviour occurs? If you are offended by someome who stole your wallet for example, might you be stealing attention from your husband when you're out with friends?

Keep your eye peeled as well for inconsistencies pertaining to greed and ambition in relation to your intuitive growth. It's possible to be greedy for information as well as material things. Do you buy piles of books that sit by your nightstand unread? Do you know people who binge on psychological and spiritual leading edge ideas? If you're overly ambitious in your intuitive growth, you may get too far ahead of yourself and not fully integrate your insights and lessons.

Attachment

When opening intuition you may seek security by becoming attached to a particular spiritual tradition or methodology, as others become attached to their car or mate. For example, you might be convinced about the rightness of going to confession and be totally unwilling to experience the benefits of creative visualization. Or you may have a bias against working with entities.

A buddhist priest I once knew discounted most of what I said because I referred to clearing emotions that originated in past lives, which he considered to be a New Age concept and thus inferior to his traditional spiritual lineage. Placing too much value on any one way of being or doing things can blind you and lead to debilitating self-importance. Attachment slows the evolution of the soul and makes it difficult for other options to educate, nurture and round you out. If you place to much emphasis on form whether it be one form or many forms, whether it be a technique or a belief system, you will miss the direct, mystical communion that surpasses all the explanation of the mind. What we're aiming for in the intuitive way is a lively balance between the ability to concentrate and the ability to adapt.

Boundaries

If you pay too much attention to others and the outside world, and if you constantly compare yourself to others, you won't be in the habit of feeling your body or recognizing the tone of your own particular energy. Then you'll be plagued with self-doubt and will have problems defining who you are and recognizing what is inappropriate, or even dangerous, for you.

If the boundaries of your personal self are not firm and you don't occupy your space fully, psychic, emotional, and physical invasion can occur. This is not as scary as it sounds, but it can be troublesome because you can confuse other people's needs and agenda's with your own.

You may also develop boundary problems as you become receptive to subtler forms of information, because as you look for these intuitive insights your conscious mind feels like it is stretching outward in search of finer and finer levels of data. It's easy to think that you're flowing into various situation or people to get an intuitive sense of them. If you flow into them, you will also unconsciously assume that you're flowing out of yourself.

This can cause you to feel empty and inadvertently misidentify yourself with whatever you flow into. Then you become the human chameleon. You'll articulate around highly verbal people, defensive around defended people, and self expressive around animated people. If you spend too much time with complainers, victims, and depressed people, you'll feel like a stone. This shape shifting tendency eventually stops the flow of your creativity and can lead to severe energy drain as well as mental problems. As one of my friends told me the other day, "You know what killed the chameleon, don't you? Sitting on plaid!"

False Humility, Sacrificial Service and Messiah Complexes

No matter where you are born, as you stretch out to open your intuition and spiritual life, you unconsciously carry your culture's religious beliefs with you. Developing induction will eventually require you to reexamine your religious faith and re own parts that align with your deepest ethics and common sense . You may still prefer to practice Buddhism, Jainism, Judaism, Hinduism, or Christianity, but the precepts you live by will have been clarified and internalized through your own super conscious choice .

If you have not give your religious beliefs much thought, some of the unconscious assumptions may interfere with your obtaining the fullest experience of yourself as a soul.

For example, from our prevailing Western religion we inherit the idea that we are born flawed and incomplete. We are supposed to be objectively humble with little sense of personal self, and we are taught not to try to find enlightenment through our own efforts but to surrender and let a more divine person do it for us. We are taught that it is noble to sacrifice ourselves and suffer for others. Many Eastern religions, for example, place a high value on collectivity and emptiness, so emphasis on the personal self, even on the soul, is discouraged for a different reason.

As you venture beyond the confines of religion into a study of metaphysics and intuition, you'll discover for yourself that there are universal principles that are inherent in human nature, no matter what our culture or religion. The study of these principles is neutral, almost scientific - and it is what every religion originally concerned itself with. And yet, as you begin practicing alignment with these natural laws, as you apply intuition to daily life you're bound to come up against this thought:

"I'm being too egotistical-who am I to think I could know this information directly? Who am I to think I could heal someone?" Or there's the more passionate stance: "I am nothing; I give myself in service to everyone and need nothing personally! I am just a vehicle for God's will."

This humility often leads to the messiah complex, a deceptive form of ego that comes from trying to be a saint or savior. Your clarity can easily become distorted when you have to help, when you can't allow others to have their own experiences but instead try to rescue them from their suffering. Some people take on great camouflaged self -importance and a strange sense of worth through self-sacrifice. Yet this kind of covert superiority robs everyone of their unique connection to the divine and drowns clear intuitive knowing in a pool of personal will power.

Sacrificial service doesn't help either the helper (whose capacity to receive eventually dries up) or the unconsciously guilt laden "helpee." Be aware, then, of the imbalances in yourself and others when there is the appearance of too much or too little: too much personal power, too little credit, too much humility, too little responsibility.

Avoidance, addiction, Denial, and Drama

TO avoid feeling fear and to cope with subliminal emotional pain, we create thousands of ingenious distractions. I'm sure you know someome who lives for romance or to be different or dramatic. On the path of the intuition, people can avoid the real world by becoming preoccupied with the details of psychology and metaphysics: who abused you in your childhood, your sacrifices and betrayals, past lives, dream realities, parallel worlds, messages from angels, gemstones and gadgets that affect subtle energy bodies, or even the idea of being abducted by aliens.

We need to watch for hidden agendas marked by ;longing for glamour and romance where we avoid the mundane - and thus miss the guidance coming from our bodies, which are firmly planted in daily reality. I have seen people change their personalities radically when they begin spiritual studies. A rambunctious, funny, outgoing young man suddenly becomes blissful, mellow, mild and humble, hardly talks, gives away all his money, and reverently raises his hands in prayer to everyone - after joining an ashram.

A practical businesswoman changes her name to Mary Lightning Bolt, Says "Ho"" after people speak, and starts wearing ethnic jewelry and fringed skirts, burning sage in her office, and drumming with her women's group - after she attends a Native American sweat lodge ceremony. These total immersions in specific forms of spiritual practice can be educational, yet at the same time they can stop the flow of our authentic expression.

Ironically, even the pursuit of healing and knowledge can be a distraction. "Maybe, if I keep taking workshops, reading the newest books, doing therapy, seeing the latest healers and psychics in town, I'll find the magic elixir!" Some people are addicted to seminars, and their social lives revolve entirely around the human potential movement. Other people are on a mission for perfect health of their bodies. They have had everything from candida to parasites to chronic fatigue syndrome and are experts on homeopathy, acupuncture, herbs, colonics, aromatherapy, chi kung, Bach flower remedies, and fasting on watermelon. One week it's no red meat, the next, only protein. Then it's no wheat or sugar, followed by no dairy products or spices.

If your attention is riveted on controlling the minutiae of your diet, there's not much time to feel deep emotions. Since it's not OK to be addicted to alcohol, drugs or cigarettes anymore, we've tricked ourselves into justifying our addiction to "good" things that are supposedly growth inducing.

We should also examine our need for drama, magic, and miracles. A woman I recently met at a luncheon told me of a particularly dysfunctional relationship she had entered into primarily because she'd been attracted to a house she saw as she walked along a beach. A few days later she met and befriended a girl on the same beach who turned out to be living the house, and soon after that, she met a man at a conference who turned out to live in the house, and soon after that, she met a man at a conference who turned out to be the girl's father. "It's synchronicity!" she thought. "This must mean something; it must be significant. Why else was I drawn to that particular house? This must be a powerful relationship.

I've also known people who got involved in disastrous relationships and adventures because they had a precognitive, though somewhat vague, dream that seemed to highlight some aspect of the subsequent real-world experience." But he was wearing a red shirt and his name was Dan - just like in my dream." Perhaps our subconscious mind is drawing attention to the man with the daughter with the house on the beach or to the man named Dan in the red shirt, not because they're our soul mates, but because they represent unfinished business in our subconscious or an example of what not to do.

Don't give more or less than is required by the situation at hand

The Essenes believed that it is just as much a sin to have too little as it is to have too much. At either polarity, the optimal flow of creativity gets jammed up. But if you have just what you need, life flows perfectly. The same thing applies when healing and teaching others or in communicating your new found knowledge to strangers, friends, relatives. In healing or counseling, if you give more energy and information than the client's body and mind can absorb, you may actually make things worse. In teaching we are told not to throw pearls before swine2 - in other words, not to waste precious resources in inappropriate situations.

Balance is the key word here. The universe doesn't waste energy. If you give less than a person needs, the resulting dissatisfaction can produce repercussions like pain, negative thought patterns, and wasteful acting out of dramas. If you take two steps towards a relationship with someone when they take only a step's worth so the energy can flow evenly. Give too much and you may feel insulted. Give too little and you'll never know your true self or anyone else. Use your truth and anxiety signals to know when to stop.


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"Since everything is but an apparition, Perfect in being what it is. Having nothing to do with good or bad. Acceptance or rejection, One may as well burst out in laughter. "

Longchenpa


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Traps of the Ego

The requirement for ascension is the balancing of 51% of your karma. This will indeed free you from the wheel of rebirth upon the physical realms and open you up to deeper advancements upon the inner realms. This is not the total picture, however, which is why this book is being written. There is, in truth, much to be considered before "Integrated Ascension," involving all the bodies, is complete. "Integrated Ascension" is what we are ultimately after, for in order to fully ascend, all of the bodies and many other quotients must be lifted up to GOD. In a similar vein, the GOD force must also be brought down by what is called the process of 'decension', or anchoring spirit into the body (matter). Initiation, leading to ascension, must therefore be seen and embraced through a full spectrum lens.

Another example of the negative ego contamination and interference in this quotient in the New Age movement is when a person acts from a place of self-righteousness and/or being a know-it-all. They think because they have achieved their ascension that they are a Master which gives them a right to order people around and tell them what to do. They perceive themselves as speaking as the voice of the Master which in truth is the voice of the negative ego and a massive power trip that is most often unconscious, which actually is the exact opposite of what true spiritual leadership is.

Another example is a woman who is more feminine and soft in nature who is not an informational channel trying to be an informational channel, when their true destiny might be to lead through the example of love and more lady Master energetic meditations. A woman may be trying to bring through her spirituality and service work in a more masculine paradigm, when her true spiritual mission is to bring it through the Goddess paradigm.

Another similar but different example might be a man or a woman who brings through wonderful channeling's, however, when they try to teach from their conscious mind, or maybe write from their conscious mind rather than the channeled state it just doesn't work. It is important for every light worker to know their puzzle piece and not try to move into a puzzle piece that is not their destiny or forte.

In reverse, a person could be an excellent spiritual teacher and try to force clairaudient voice channeling when their true purpose is to be more of an integrated channel or a telepathic channel, or just speak from their own inner wisdom and not think about channeling at all.

Other examples in the New Age movement are mystics who are forcing themselves to be occultists and occultists who are trying to force themselves to be mystics when this is not their true destiny. This may manifest in a person wanting to serve in the capacity of being a voice channel when their true channeling ability might be in the form of being a writer or channeling poetry and/or music.

To many light workers being a channel, psychic, spiritual teacher, author, and healer may seem glamorous, when in truth it is not. It is not glamour that should be sought but rather divine right spiritual mission. The most effective way to accelerate your ascension is to find your right puzzle piece and to serve and lead in that capacity. A person who is supposed to be a housewife or househusband will move through their initiation process as quickly as a person who is meant to be world famous as a channel, spiritual teacher or governmental leader. In GOD's eyes there is no difference as long as each person is doing their appropriate part in the Divine Plan.

Above excerpt by Dr Joshua David Stone

Possible traps

The golden chain - the ego uses the teachings to control - ego Lies hidden in with truth
wanting everything 'better, faster, stronger, quicker'
Thinking too much, too much research, doubt
over anal-ysis - lower mind analysis
Attachment to Power, Fame, Glamours, Money, Sex, Psychic Powers / Siddhis
think about higher truths, contemplation, mind experiments
Driven by negative ego - accumulating knowledge - to feel powerful, superior
Inadequate teachings - need purification, before kundalini activation
needing answers and guidance for every situation
Hypocrisy, Control, Ambition
ever working over time
chopping and changing spirtual paths & teachings - the ego's sabotage of the spiritual path - stick with one tradition, but have respect for others
power
make it, do it - YESTERDAY!
Needing to believe - seeing what want to see - backing up theory - blind faith
Build good habits, Good Virtues, Positive emotions - then can be unconscious and spontaneous- through Prajna - Wisdom

The fifteen major tests for every Lightworker are

1. Power
2. Fame
3. Money
4. Sexuality
5. Desire
6. Attachment
7. Transcending fear
8. Selfishness
9. False Pride
10. Anger
11. Greed
12. Jealousy
13. Vanity
14. Transcending Duality
15. Egotism

Read about them in books by Dr Joshua David Stone - such as "How to clear the negative ego"